Mrs May had not yet risen up her party’s ranks when she made the bombshell suggestion. At the time she argued the Committee did not reflect the modern Tory Party. The revelation was disclosed in the London Evening Standard, citing an unnamed source.

READ MORE:Brexit deal live

The 1922 Committee, which is how no-confidence votes in Conservative Party leaders are triggered, is currently chaired by Sir Graham Brady.

If Sir Graham receives enough letters of no confidence in the Prime Minister he has to call a no-confidence vote.

But if the Prime Minister had got her own way, the very means by which she could be toppled would not even exist.

The threshold for a vote to be called is a total of 15 percent of the parliamentary party submitting letters – which amounts to 48 letters.

The European Research Group (ERG) chair said he was making a concerted effort to inspire other colleges to follow his lead.

Remainer Anna Soubry has accused the ERG, whose sole purpose since its 1993 inception has been the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, of “running the country”.

In the Commons on Wednesday the People’s Vote cheerleader said: “I’ve no doubt Jacob Rees-Mogg is running our country.”

READ MORE: Do YOU back Theresa May’s Brexit deal? – take our poll

Former minister James Duddridge has suggested the number of letters required to trigger a no-confidence vote may already have been reached.

Mr Duddridge, who submitted his own call to the 1922 Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady during the Tory conference in October, said: “I think I recall Brady said he will give the PM 48 hours notice before going public.

“We may have hit the 48 letters but no announcement.”

The ’22 – as it is known – was the meeting, dubbed a “show trial”, to which Mrs May was memorably told to “bring her own noose” at the end of last month.

However, despite the initial threats, the meeting was reportedly more a “petting zoo” than a “lions’ den”, with MPs rallying behind the Prime Minister.

The committee holds its meetings in an oak-panelled room in Parliament where MPs usually bang on desks as a sign of approval.

It takes its name from a meeting of Conservative MPs on October 19 1922.

The MPs successfully ended the party’s coalition with the Liberals, bringing down the government of David Lloyd George.

The resulting general election was won by the Tories.

Former Prime Minister David Cameron also wanted to reform the committee, saying he wanted “to change the rules to encompass the whole parliamentary party”.